Acer Predator XB251HQT: 240Hz 24.5-inch G-Sync TN Gaming Monitor

September 2, 2016September 4, 2016by Dan Hamilton

The Acer Predator XB251HQT is among three new monitors that have been revealed this week, the other two being the Predator Z271T and the Predator XB271HUT. The latter two are updated models of the original Acer Predator Z271 and Acer Predator XB271HU.

What’s the most remarkable among all the three is that they are equipped with Tobii eye tracking technology, this a first for any manufacturer of computer monitors to implement. The technology tracks where your eyes are looking and enables you to interact with programs and games in a variety of ways.

Currently, there are around 40 games that have implemented Tobii technology in some form and among them are Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Tom Clancy’s The Division, Arma 3, and two games from the Assasin’s Creed franchise. The rest are mostly smaller indie titles so it is only just beginning to gain mainstream traction.

While Acer did not reveal what the variable refresh rate of any of the monitors is, it did say that the Acer Predator XB251HQT has the ability to run at a 240Hz refresh rate. It also includes NVIDIA’s G-Sync technology meaning that any screen tearing or stuttering that one would encounter from the graphics card’s frame rate and monitor’s refresh rate not being in sync is eliminated.

The added luxury of Tobii and G-Sync will cause a steep drive in price however as both technologies require a proprietary module to implemented into the monitor. Unless you’re specifically looking for these technologies in a monitor then a different cheaper alternative will likely suffice.

The monitor will sport a 1920 x 1080 (1080p) resolution which when combined with its 24.5 inch screen size means it will have a pixel density of 90 pixels per inch, closely on par with most monitors out there. It will have a TN panel meaning the response time will be incredibly low, but color reproduction or viewing angles will not be as good as an IPS panel.

Aesthetically speaking the monitor follows the motif of the rest of the Predator lineup. It has a red and black colorway and incredibly slim bezel that Acer has coined ZeroFrame. On the bottom side of the monitor is where the Tobii tracking technology is situated. In terms of connectivity, the Acer Predator XB251HQT will have inputs for DisplayPort 1.2, DVI, and D-Sub with HDMI noticeably lacking.